Spirit level



July 17, 1923- F. W. FOUSE SP'IRIT LEVEL Filed Jan. 28 1919 Patented July 17, 1923.

UNITED syrrss FREDERICK W LLIAM rouse, or ,MUSKOGEE, 0KLAHOMA.'

SPIRIT LEVEL.

bipplication filed January 28, 1919,, Serial Nd. 273, 25;

To all whom it may concern:

F oUsE', a citizen of the United States, residing at Muskogee, in the 'county-ofMuskogee and State of Oklahoma, have invent- Spirit Levels; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact de scription of the'invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art, to which it appertains to make and use the same. I

This invention relates to improvements in spirit-levels of the sectional or foldalole type, and is adapted for plumbing walls, as for bricklayersor masons use, and for use by artisans or mechanics generally.

The invention has for its object facility and convenience incarrying the implement g H be of other general form, adapted forthe orv device from place to place, as in a grip sack or other container.

Also, further objects of the invention are I to facilitate the placingv of thefoldable sections of the device in operative position, and to; provide for their effectlve retention in such position.

Other objects of the invention will be apparent as the characteristics and advantages thereof are disclosed bythe following de- Vscription. In the accompanying drawlngs 1s illus' trated the preferred embodiment of my invention wherein it will be understood that various changes and modifications as to the details of construction and arrangement of parts may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention,as covered by the claims. I

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a spirit-level of general type, with'my invention applied thereto;

Figure 2 is a side elevation thereof;

Figure 3 is a view showing the spirit level in folded condition;

Figure 1 is a plan view, upon a somewhat enlarged scale, of detail parts of the device with portions of the spirit-level shown in dotted lines;

Fi showlng the relation of the parts at the meeting ends of the sections with the hinge omitted; I

Figure 6 is a detached face view of one of the plate members for facing the meeting ends of the spirit-level sections.

of the device. J g

, This retainingmeans is preferablya re 5 is a detached perspective view of a partshownin Fig. 4;;

I Figure 8 is a transverse In the disclosures ofmy invention I prefends of the sections U-shaped element 5 which, however, may

purpose. Said element or member 5 isadapty F igu're 7 is aperspective detailedv view I i Be it known that LFREDERICK WVILLIAM 1 I sectional view I Q through one of the sections adjacent the Lends and showing the back releasingme'ans. ed certain new and useful, Improvements in i -erably provid-ea spirit-level, designated generally as 1, and made in three articulated sections 2, 8, 4:, and having means for retaining or holding the sections temporarily in fixed alignment, as practiced in usingthe "device in connection 7 with bricklaying or masonry work, the retaining means being [housed in one of the abutting or 'meeting ed to have slidablemovement, and is poc sitioned to allow the free endsof its arms to be projected beyond the end of the spirit level section, within which it, is contained, j'and into. the opposed end; of the adjacent spiritlevel section which is adapted t m. ceive said free ends.

,The opposed ends of theseii'sectionsfana faced with reinforcing plates 6 conforming tothe general end'outline of saidsections' or ends. These platesare' castor formed integrally at their margins withlugs 7, out standing therefrom, at right angles, and

adapted to enter recesses of the spirit level sections'to thereby secure said plates metfective position upon thelatten Said plates may have their central portions 6? sunken trusions onthe'opposite sides of said plates, which protrusionsfit into the'ends of the spirit level sections to aid in retaining the plates in position. These reinforcing plates are also provided with orifices, as at 6",

at points in alignment with the arms of the said stem extending throughawear plate 9. Upon the stem 5 of the member 5 is positioned a spring 10 which exerts a thrusting pressure upon said memberi and thereor depressed, the depressions forming ,prog or members 2' and 3 7 to slightly spread and release said wh'eirthe devicell is depressed the of; the element having each a notch engage the edges of an orifice of the reinforcing plate 61 ,iVhen the ends of the arms of element are forced into the orificesb the notches will engage with a part oi the plate 6. so as to'lock one section of the level to another. hen the knob of the device 11 is depressed the spring arms 11 and their pins ll, will actto spread the arm'of element 5 and disengage the notches 5"lrom the orifices 6". so that one section of the level can be tolded upon another section. jlhe element 5 can be retracted against the pressure of spring- 10 by means of the nut on the screw-threz ided stem 5". andbearlIlQ on the platei). which is fixed in a section the level. By these means the sections of the spirit level will be securely held in peritec'talignment. p l

1 ,l'thoug'h I have illustrated the spirit level ashavingr'only one device for holding .the parts thereof inalignment. it will be understood that other sectionsmay be equipped in a slmilar manner. there being as many of such devices as there are hinged jointsin the spirit level.

,Having thus described my invention what I claim as new" anddesirefto secureby Letters Patent is: i

l. articulated device comprisingplurality of hinged sections, one of which is provided with a U-shaped member presenting parallel rods having); their extremities extending beyond the end and positioned and proportioned to enter orifices in the opposed section when the sections are extended and with lateral notches adapted to yield ingly engage the sides of the orificesin loclc locking engagement.

2. an articulated device comprising a plurality of hinged sections. one of which is provided with a slidably mounted U-shaped member having its extremities extending beyond the end of the section and proportioned and positioned to enter orifices in the op posed section. and provided with lateral notches adapted to yieldingly engage the sides of said orifices. means to exert manual stress upon said member to tighten said locking engagement and manual means to yieldingly actuate said rods to move them out of locking); engagement 3. n articulated device comprising a plurality oi hinged sections. one of ivliicli is providedwvith rods having their extremities extending beyond the end of said section and prmiiortioned and positioned to enter orifices in the opposed section, and having lateral notches adapted to lockingly' engage the sides of said orifices, and a resilient member 7 posit oned to be manually actuated and to move the rods yieldingly out of such locking: engagement.

4. An articulated device comprising a plura ity ot' hinged sections, one of which is.

provided with a U-shaped member longitudinally shdableand having; its extremities mzte'rnhns: beyond the'end or its section and in position to enter orifices formed'in the end of the adjacent section andhaving lateral notches adapted to engage yieldinglv thesides oi said orifices. means to exert manual stress upon said U-shaped member to adjust said member longitudinally and to exert tightening stress upon said locking; engagement. and manual actuating; means oryieldingly separating said rods out of locking engagemi-int with said orifices.

in testimony whereof; I afiix'my signaturegin presence of witnesses.

FREDERICK \VILLIAM FOUSE. itnesses Davin A. Kmvn A. A. iivnRY. Homer: BAUGHMAN. 

